State v. Vanstory’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

50 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 50 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “This court’s power to deal with plain error is one to be exercised sparingly and with caution because the plain error rule represents a departure from a presupposition of the adversary system—that a party must look to his or her counsel for protection and bear the cost of counsel’s mistakes.”

   28 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Ramos · In the Interest of Doe Children

2. “After closing arguments, the circuit court instructed the jury on murder in the second degree: The defendant is charged with the offense of Murder in the Second Degree. A person commits the offense of Murder in the Second Degree if she intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another person. There are two material elements of the offense of Murder in the Second Degree, each of which the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. These two elements are[:] (1), that on or about the 21st day of October, 1997, to and including the 24th day of October, 1997, on the island of Oahu, in the City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, [Aganon] caused the death of Ka-rie Caneneia. And, (2), that [Aganon] did so intentionally or knowingly. [[Image here]] A person acts intentionally with respect to her conduct when it is her conscious object to engage in such conduct. A person acts intentionally with respect to attendant circumstances when she is aware of the existence of such circumstances or believes or hopes, that they exist. A person acts intentionally with respect to a result of her conduct when it is her conscious object to cause such a result. A person acts knowingly with respect to her conduct when she is aware that her conduct is of that nature. A person acts knowingly with respect to attendant circumstances when she is aware that such circumstances exist. A person acts knowingly with respect to a result of her conduct when she is aware that it is practically cert”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Sugihara

3. “§ 134-6 Carrying or use of firearm in the commission of a separate felony; place to keep firearms; loaded firearms; penalty. (c) Except as provided in sections 134-5 and 134-9, all firearms and ammunition shall be confined to the possessor’s place of business, residence, or sojourn; provided that it shall be lawful to carry unloaded firearms or ammunition or both in an enclosed container from the place of purchase to the purchaser’s place of business, residence, or sojourn, or between these places upon change of place of business, residence, or sojourn, or between these places and the following: a place of repair; a target range; a licensed dealer’s place of business; an organized, scheduled firearms show or exhibit; a place of formal hunter or firearm use training or instruction; or a police station. "Enclosed container" means a rigidly constructed receptacle, or a commercially manufactured gun case, or the equivalent thereof that completely encloses the firearm. (d) It shall be unlawful for any person on any public highway to carry on the person, or to have in the person's possession, or to carry in a vehicle any firearm loaded with ammunition; provided that this subsection shall not apply to any person who has in the person’s possession or carries a pistol or revolver and ammunition therefor in accordance with a license issued as provided in section 134-9. (e) Any person violating subsection (a) or (b) shall be guilty of a class A felony. Any person violating this section ”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. State v. Martins